Mohanjith

The liar at any rate recognizes that recreation, not instruction, is the aim of conversation, and is a far more civilised being than the blockhead who loudly expresses his disbelief in a story which is told simply for the amusement of the company.Oscar Wilde

Back in the day

After becoming the major power in the Indian subcontinent on the late 18th century, the British Empire sought to defend against Russian encroachment upon its trade routes through Afghanistan, especially Kabul. From this point on, Afghanistan had the role of a buffer state, suffering countless wars and treaties, until the British relinquished their control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs by signing the Treaty of Rawalpindi. Who was Amanullah Khan?

Feature

L. Frank Baum was an American journalist, playwright, and author. In 1900, he published his most famous work, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a story about a girl named Dorothy who is carried by a tornado to the magical land of Oz. Baum's fame rests largely on his 14 stories of Oz, all of which emphasize the virtues of practicality, self-reliance, tolerance, and egalitarianism. In 1938, the story was made into an extraordinarily popular motion picture; who played the role of Dorothy?

Born on a day like today

Dryden was an English poet, dramatist, and critic. He first came to public notice in 1659 with his Heroic Stanzas, commemorating the death of Oliver Cromwell. The following year, however, he celebrated the restoration of Charles II with Astraea Redux. Dryden was involved in the intellectual spirit of the â€˜new age.' An early member of the Royal Society, he was expelled for non-payment of his dues after only 4 years. How many siblings did he have?